Prisoners of Conscience

January 26, 2009

Farzad Kamangar (32), a Kurdish teacher and social worker in the city of Kamyaran, is sentenced to death based on “absolutely zero evidence,” according to his lawyer. ...

January 25, 2009

Mansour Osanloo, arrested on July 10, 2007, is a leading trade-union activist who has been imprisoned several times during the past three years. His health has deteriorated while in prison and his life is in danger. ...

January 25, 2009

Ronak Safazadeh (21), arrested on October 9, 2007, is a women’s rights activist in Sanandaj. She has been sentenced to 9 months in prison and a $208 (2 million Rial) fine by the Public Court of Piranshar. ...

January 19, 2009

Hadi Ghabel, an outspoken Iranian cleric, was imprisoned on April 7, beginning a 40 month term following prosecution and conviction by the Special Court for the Clergy, a body akin to modern inquisition court. ...

January 9, 2009

Hedayat Ghazali is a psychology student in her final year at Tehran University and head of the authorized publication Roojameh at Tehran University (published in Kurdish). In July 2007 she was arrested with Sabah Nasri and taken to the Central Prison of Sanandaj. ...

January 9, 2009

Sabah Nasri is a Masters student in political science at Tehran University who was arrested with Hedayat Ghazali in July 2007 in Sanandaj and taken to the Central Intelligence Office. ...

November 10, 2008

Alireza Sarafi, a writer and newspaper journalist who works for Azerbaijani cultural rights, was arrested on 10 September during an Iftar celebration in Tehran. Sarafi was at the celebration with 18 other guests at a co-workers home on Navab Safavi Road in Tehran. ...

November 10, 2008

Hasan Rashedi is an Azerbaijani writer and cultural rights activist who was arrested while attending an Iftar celebration at a co-worker’s home on 10 September 2008. ...

November 10, 2008

Mehdi Naimi Ardabili is an Azerbaijani poet and professor of Azeri who was arrested during an Iftar celebration held at a co-worker’s home on 10 September 2008. Eighteen others were arrested along with him at the celebration on Navab Safavi Road in Tehran. ...

November 10, 2008

Saied Mohammadi Moghalani is a poet, writer, and newspaper journalist and is editor-in-chief of Yashmaq literary magazine. Mohammadi was arrested by intelligence officers, along with 18 others, at an Iftar celebration on 10 September 2008. He and the others were taken to Section 209 of ...

November 5, 2008

Hasan Harischian (35), is a development engineer. He is a follower of Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s who was first arrested in October 2006. He is married and has one child. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison and is currently being held in Evin Prison. ...

November 5, 2008

Mohammad Reza Sadeqi (36) is a computer engineer. He is a follower of Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s who was first arrested in October 2006. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison and is currently being held in Evin Prison. ...

November 3, 2008

Abbas Lisani (39) is an Azerbaijani activist from the city of Ardebil. He is serving multiple prison sentences following prosecutions for his peaceful activities promoting respect for the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azerbaijani ethnic minority. ...

November 3, 2008

Hojat Naseri (26), an Azerbaijani activist, is serving a four- month prison term. He was arrested and prosecuted after public protests in June 2007. He is held in Oromiye prison. ...

November 3, 2008

Ebrahim Rashidi is a poet, writer and Mechanical Engineering graduate of Orumieh University. On 5 August 2008, he was sent to prison to begin serving his five-month prison sentence. ...

November 3, 2008

Zaynab Bayazidi (26) is a computer science graduate who was arrested on 9 July 2008 after appearing for an interview with the Intelligence Office in Mehabad on 7 July 2008. She was sentenced to four years of imprisonment in exile on 10 August 2008. ...

November 3, 2008

Tayeb Ebrahimzadeh is an activist associated with the Azerbaijan National Movement, which aims to promote respect for the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azerbaijani ethnic minority. Security forces temporarily detained Ebrahimzadeh on September 23, 2006, during a peaceful protest demanding the right to ...

November 3, 2008

Mohsen Hosseinzadeh is an activist on behalf of the Azerbaijan National Movement, which promotes the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azeri ethnic minority. Security forces temporarily detained Hosseinzadeh on September 23, 2006, during a peaceful protest demanding the right to teach ...

October 31, 2008

UPDATE: (31 October 2008) Yaser Goli is an Economic Development graduate from Azad University in Sanandaj who was barred from finishing his Master’s Degree studies. He was also a member and the secretary of the Kurdish Democratic Society. He was arrested on 17 October 2007, ...

October 22, 2008

UPDATE (22 October 2008) Mohammad Hasan Falahiezadeh ended his hunger strike after 15 days on 19 October 2008 after the Court granted him access to a lawyer, Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani. A representative for Mr. Soltani signed the contract on his behalf. ...

October 22, 2008

Fatemeh Goftari, mother of Yaser Goli, was arrested on 14 January 2008 while on her way to pick up her son’s possessions. She is serving a three-month prison sentence in the Central Prison of Sanandaj. ...

October 15, 2008

Behrouz Karimizadeh, arrested on November 3, 2008, is a student activist. He is being held in Evin prison. Karimizadeh and more than 60 other students were arrested during a nationwide sweep between November 2007 and January 2008. ...

October 15, 2008

Adnan Hassanpour (27), arrested on January 25, 2007, is a Kurdish journalist facing a death sentence following an unfair trial. ...

October 15, 2008

Ali Kantouri, arrested on November 3, 2008, is a student activist. He is held in Evin prison. Kantouri and more than 60 other students were arrested during a nationwide sweep between November 2007 and January 2008. ...

October 15, 2008

Peyman Piran, arrested in November 2007, is a political dissident and student activist. He is held in Evin prison and has reportedly been subjected to ill-treatment to make false confessions. ...